The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1887-01-27

the man who had rowcd her boat that
night
It was Ralph Rcssogu'e, the banker
and the millionaire, whose homo and
happiness her husband had ruined.
She had never met him before, but
she had heard often OF his generosity
and of his great wealth.
.God have mercy tonight Upon four
of his miserable creatures" she said
still calmly
Three" corrected Resseguie. grim
ly. 'Muriel Warner l know the entire
history OF your life. learned it while
/ was hunting your husband down. l
ask no sympathy. have done delib-
crate murder. l do not W sh yon to
conceal the mode of my escape. Fred.
Warner was your husband. He would
have returned to YOU after time. !
have made this impossible. You have
neither home nor friends. have money,
the accursed stuff with which bought
my false wife. In short time l shall
be hung for this murder. have no
relatives upon whom to bestow my
wealth. 1t will all 60 to strangers.
Accept this packet, then; it is yours to
do with rs you think best. and cannot
but DO thankful for the chance which
has thrown you in my way
A packet dropped into Muriel Warn
er's lap rs these words were spoken.
The boat rocked slightly us the tall fig
ure sprang upon the shore, and then
she was alone in the darkness upon the
river.
After this she wandered about the
world, woman whose life and feel
ings seemed benumbcd forever. She
knew what had happened ut Rocky hill,
but she had no desire to return there
and gaze upon the dead face of her
husband. She had no wish to return
to the friends who had grown cold
knew that R,lph Ressegue had made
| her wealth. woman, but she felt none
of the scruples which she once would
have felt about accepting his money.
She never spoke OF that might in the
boat with any to whom she came in
contact. S~fts ssfs
She never heard whether Ralph Res
| seguie was captured or not. She never
knew what became oil, his miserable
| wife. *ti
Her past life seemed half forgotten
dream, and she was only dimly COLI
scious of the real ty of ANYTHING.
! At thirty-five years OF age Muriel
| Warner wasa beautiful and cultured
woman She had visited nearly all the
countries of the Old World. Acqua Mt
arices she made but never friends. and
these often wondered when in reply to
their inquiries she would say:
II never real u newspaper. never
write nor rece We a letter.
But her me of awakening came,
and the one to stir the dormant emo
tons of her woman's heart was a
stranger. and man. -
| 1t was at the Bahama Island where
she first met Norman Van Ness. =
| He was forty years of age-a Her.
cules in the fullness of his manhood,
and h } seemed to be attracted, nay, to
love l.er from the very first.
| Her deep blue eyes soon grew to
/ watch for him, and became soft and
tender beneath the light in his dark
ones, and with the growth of her new
love many of the feelings of her youth
came back to her.
Father and mother. long forgotten,
became dear once more to her, and
often she caught herself thinking
If hs ever speaks. and if after
have told him all, we are ever mar
ried, l will get him to take me home to
my parents. !" .
But he did not speak. Weeks grew
into months, and the longed for love-
words never came. Muriers heart
again began quivering with pain. She
knew not that its numbness had de-
parted forever.
Sometm she felt that she ought to
move on; to get away from influences
| which more likely would prove sadden-
ing to her, but she could not at once
bring herself to do this:
While she was debating the subject in
her mind the Girls s came.
A storm had been sweeping over the
Bahamas, a vessel was going to pieces
upon the reef. Muriel was out upon
the wave-washcd shore, her eyes bright
and her cheeks rosy with excitement.
Her golden brown hair had been zoos
enad BY the drying wind, and she was
that rare bat delicious creature. a
woman beautiful when she is mature.
Norman Van Ness was by her side,
and Muriel expressed wish to row
out near to the life-saving boats
which were battling W tn the waves
and overladen with human beings
whom they had rescued in half
drowned state.
'.Let me be your boatman,' pleaded
Van Ness, and Mnriel could not repress
her thoughts which Whispered to her
of that longforgette4. night when her
husbands murderer had been her boat
man."
The strong man took his place at the
oars Out over the waters they rowed
together. the dreadful past rising SO
strong before the woman that she had
lspo thought of the man so near her.
/ 3.Muriel," said he, in low voice
l...Muriel, Mqrielr love yon, bgt l have
no right to say these words to you.
Murie1, have YOU never thought that
Nigh be Ralph Resseguies"
"Can it be?" she said. slowly. 81
ibid not see your face by daylight, yor
know. =
i. Eyes, it is /. 9 married, man and 9
murderer; but still I love you. MI
riel."
"And love YOU" she said in tone
of despair.
They were nearing the life-boat.
now, and one of the crew shouted:
i Ivan Ness" we cannot go back jus
yet, and here is man and woman
, who need immediate attention, if they
are not already dead, We will pu
|, them in your boat, and yoN can take
them ashore"
Ready hands laid the dripping bodies
in the bottom of the boat. and will
strong strokes and avertcd head Ralpl
Resseguie pulled for the shore.
When they were nearing land III
glanced for the first time at his burden
i. my God. my wife!'' he cried.
"And Fred. Warner" said Muriel
with asthrill of relief and horror.
It was1true. Fred. Warner had no
died, and the deed which had mad
these Two wanderers upon the face o